Don't Cage The Birdie (Book 2)(rough first draft)

Chapter 17. By special invitation

The suspects had been processed while James had been away and transported back to One Police Plaza. James could have let them stay at Cazenovia to interview them there but he wanted to disrupt their realities, shake their lives up and make them more eager to talk. Confused and disorientated they were more likely to let something slip. After leaving Nigel Mole's house James made his way back to Manhattan, following the police SUV that housed Marjorie. She was also being taken to One Police Plaza, but at her own request to be near her father. James had thought it odd considering the events of the past few days but he let it slide. He still needed to talk to her about certain events.

As they arrived at the Plaza James was wowed by the bustle of bodies in the foyer. The air was humming with voices of various tones and levels of volume, faces in the crowd filled with excitement. James pressed through, a strange feeling of annoyance bubbling away inside at the almost unprofessionalism of the officers. The general mood of excitement even carried upstairs through the floors as James accompanied the State troopers as they led Dean and Nigel to the holding cells and placed them each in a separate room. Marjorie was taking to a separate room to hang out with Matilda and another female support officer.

Leaving them to sit quietly, James hurried back to his office and desk to fill out a report and send it through to Captain Ekhart. As he hurried through the long hallways he caught up with two men lounging by one of the locked exit doors. One departed from the other and passed by James heading the way James had come. The other chatted to the sergeant behind the glass window and the sergeant unlocked the door allowing the detective entry. He kept the door open, his arm holding it back, as James hurried forwards and stepped through, flashing his ID at the sergeant on the other side.

'Thanks,' said James, panting. There had been no need to rush except he hadn't wanted to make the other man awkward by standing holding the door open for too long. He looked up, realising exactly who had kept the door open for him. 'Oh, Lorenzo,' he said, yes widening. 'You're back.'

'Sure am,' Lorenzo said, thumping James on the back with an open palm. 'Success,' he announced.

'Ah,' said James quietly. 'That explains the excitement I witness all throughout the building. You'd think the people had never seen a serial killer caught before.' The words slipped out and James covered his mouth, eyes widening as Lorenzo's eyes narrowed, brow furrowing.

'I'm sorry,' exclaimed James hurriedly, mouth running dry. 'I'm just frazzled right now. A lot on my plate. I'm quite possibly about to make an arrest myself this afternoon.'

Lorenzo's features softened and he grinned, patting James again on the back. 'Don't worry about it, chum,' he said. 'I get it. The Syracuse murder, right? Woman murdered and daughter missing?'

James stared wide eyed. How did Lorenzo know about it? 'Yeah,' he stuttered, nodding. 'How -'

Shrugging, Lorenzo set off across the floor. 'I like to keep an eye on up and coming detectives and what cases they're working on. The fact you're about to make an arrest is great. Hey,' he came to a stop in the middle of the hall and James skidded to a halt beside him. Lorenzo looked at him, 'The boys on the team and me are going out for celebration drinks tonight. We still gotta lot of work to do but we deserve a drink so we're gettin' one,' he laughed. 'If you make your arrest and have some time why don't you join us?'

'Uh, well - wow,' said James stunned. 'Thanks. I'd love to. I'd love to hear about how you caught the City Sweeper.'

'Oh,' Lorenzo shrugged modestly. 'It was so simple,' he said, shaking his head in wonderment. 'Turns out one of the manager of the city dump grew up in an orphanage and was bullied horrendously while there. Grew up hating bein' an orphan and hated the other boys in the house. One day he snaps and starts cleanin' up the streets of homeless orphan kids. We didn't even notice that connection until later. Had to be led straight to him by the kid Anthony who managed to break free.' Lorenzo clicked his tongue and shook his head, a faraway expression on his face. 'It was so simple,' he said again. 'The clues were all there, we just missed it. Sometimes the key to a case is right under your nose. We just didn't see the giveaway until afterwards.' He grinned, chuckling. 'But I guess that's the power of hindsight. Solves all problems.'